The Real Cost Of An iPhone 5

It's official - Apple's new iPhone 5 is available for pre-order this Friday, 14 September 2012. Pricing will start at $199 for the 16GB model, $299 for 32GB, and $399 for a 64GB iPhone 5 - as long as a you sign a new, two-year contract. If you purchase an iPhone 5 off contract, a 16GB model will cost you $649, the 32GB model $749, and $849 for the 64GB iPhone 5 (according to AT&T's website.)

Of course, Apple made several changes - er, "improvements" - with the iPhone 5. Many of these changes will impact the accessories available for current iPhone owners, because iPhone 4 and 4S add-ons won't work with iPhone 5. The new "Lightning" dock connector is smaller than the current version found on iPhones, which means that all iPhone owners will need to either buy an adapter for existing accessories - which could range in cost from $19 to $39 - or replace their current car chargers ($10+), home stereo docks ($100+), and AV adapters ($30+) - all of which could quickly add up in cost.

The iPhone 5 is also longer yet thinner - which many critics of Apple say is notably better, as it is designed to fit better in the palm of your hand. Of course, just looking at someone holding an iPhone is enough to make you squirm - a "naked" iPhone can easily shatter if dropped (and let's face it - any phone can be easily dropped, and often). While the iPhone is beautiful, it needs a case to protect your investment. With the iPhone 5's new dimensions, you're going to need a new case, too. And since the battery life of the iPhone 5 actually isn't that much better than its predecessors (you're still going to get about an average about 8 hours of it every day) you'll like need a battery pack if you don't have the ability to constantly charge your new iPhone. This cost alone can add anywhere between $50 to $90 to purchasing an iPhone 5.

For those who use their iPhones while exercising, those new iPhone 5 dimensions will require new accessories like a waterproof case for kayaking or an armband for use when running. These costs can add up too - a waterproof case currently costs around $60, while armbands currently range between $10 and $50.

For those eligible for an upgrade or able to sign a new 2 year contract for even the 16GB iPhone 5, the additional costs of replacing all your accessories that worked with the iPhone 4 or 4S - but won't work with the iPhone 5 - can easily add an extra $100 - $200 to your purchase of an iPhone 5.

Let's break that down in terms of total cost with the cheapest version of each accessory:

Of course, this is just the minimum cost - adding these necessary accessories to an off-contract iPhone 5 could end up costing you over $1,000. And as many of these accessories aren't even available yet - though essential for some people (like a battery case is for me), I may just wait the hype out until I can actually replace all the accessories I use daily, so I can get the same experience from an iPhone 5 that I currently get from my iPhone 4.